Iran launches carbon fiber production amid sanctions

PanARMENIAN.Net - Iran has inaugurated its own production of carbon fiber, a material under U.N. embargo because of its potential use in the country's controversial nuclear program, AP reported citing official IRNA news agency.

Defense Minister Gen. Ahmad Vahidi said Iran decided to manufacture the strategic material domestically since it could no longer access carbon fiber on foreign markets because of the international sanctions.

"Because of the restrictions imposed by the enemies, Iran faced challenges in getting access to carbon fiber," Vahidi said. "That had caused a bottleneck in Iran's production of advanced and smart defense systems," he said, claiming Iran has mastered the entire process of carbon fiber production.

Iran uses carbon fiber for more advanced centrifuges, which spin uranium gas to produce enriched uranium. Low-enriched uranium can be used as nuclear fuel while highly enriched uranium can be used in a warhead.

Carbon fiber is extremely strong, light and flexible, with high tolerance for heat. It can be used in aerospace and civil engineering, as well as for military purposes. Its production is extremely complex.

Because of the UN ban on sales of carbon fiber to Iran, Tehran has previously had to buy it on foreign markets, presumably through middlemen. It has not disclosed where it obtained previous batches.